Sunday, September 4, 2016

Broken

It has been over two years since I have felt like writing…and
it has been a very long two years, filled with sadness.But the time has come to share stories once
again, and I am hoping that the times to come will be filled with tales of
happiness and joy once more.But
first, I must remember our last two years…

You may remember Robert’s sister, Susan.She had been fighting cancer off and on
throughout the years.We were all so
delighted when she was able to attend her oldest son’s wedding in March 2014!

Susan, with Paisley and Grandma Lynda:

I am so sad to say that on August 17, 2014, Susan lost her
battle with cancer. Everyone is grateful that
she lived long enough to see her son married and happy, and to see her first
grandchild (by another son), and to see her daughter (the last child at home) graduate from high school.That being said, she was not even out of her
forties yet, and she still had so much living to do!Her absence will be felt forever by those who
loved her and many hearts are indeed broken.

Susan loved to write poetry (and was quite good!), and the
poem that was shared at her funeral certainly sums up Susan and her philosophy
on life:

During this time, Mom had been feeling better than she had
in awhile, and that girl was wanting to take a trip!She and I had actually planned on going to
Yellowstone to see Alan, but we had delayed our trip when it became apparent that
Susan was not doing so well.After some
time had passed, we were going to give it another shot, but suddenly Mom was
having trouble walking.She was sure
that it was a really bad case of arthritis flare, but she wasn’t getting any
better, so on August 28, 2014, Robert and I drove her to see her doctor at the
VA hospital.Even the doctor was shocked when the
X-ray came back – the woman had been hobbling around on a broken leg:

It was such a shock because Mom had not fallen, she had not
bumped her leg, and there was no traumatic event that we could think of to explain
it.Her leg had just spontaneously
BROKEN!

She was sent to a local hospital for surgery – the VA said
they weren’t equipped to do it.A metal
rod was inserted and the pins were in place:

Mom was sent to a facility for about 13 days of rehab, and
then she came home.Once she was here,
she complained that it really hurt, and she was not healing as well as we
hoped.When I took her for her 6-week
checkup, the X-ray told the story:

Two of the screws had backed out!It was only later that doctors determined
that her bones were just like potato chips.Surgery was done the very next day, and we were hopeful that this
recovery would “take”, but unfortunately it was just the beginning of her
problems.Infections of all types,
pneumonia, and just general ill health followed.Her health was so bad that it was determined
that she needed to be in a nursing home instead of coming back with us.We were all so disappointed!

There were times that she had some really bad infections
that were highly contagious, so she did not want us to come see her.Those times were the hardest.But there were also stretches of time that
she was clear, and she was more than happy to see us.We did what we could to bring some measure of
happiness and joy into her life, but I don’t think that anything that we did
could ever make up for her not being home in her own little room…toddling out
to the kitchen to make some tea now and then.

Still, that woman fought!There were at least five times that she was so sick that both her family
and her doctors were sure than she would not survive…and yet, she did!There were so many miracles!However, on a Sunday morning, May 29 of this
year, Mom was having to wear the bi-pap mask constantly just to breathe.Through the mask she told the nurse, “I want
to go home.”

“Do you mean your house or the nursing home?” the nurse
asked.

Mom pointed up to the ceiling.“Do you mean Heaven?” the nurse asked.

Mom said, “Yes.Tell
my daughters.”

The nurse called me and I hurried over...Robert came, too.My sister lived further away, so it took a
little longer for her to get there.
Mom waited, though, and within 30 minutes of having us all there, Mom
slipped away.We talked to her, sang to
her, and held her hand.I watched the
machines that were monitoring her vital signs count down, and I knew the exact
moment that she was gone.

It was so very, very sad, yet so very peaceful, all at the
same time.This woman, who had fought so
hard and had overcome so much, had decided it was time…she most definitely went
out on her own terms.Although I am so
sad for us, I am actually comforted by the fact that I am so happy for
her.Her last year-and-a-half on Earth
was so miserable, and I can only be glad that she doesn’t have to endure all of
that any more.

Gone But Never Forgotten: Cookie...

...And Chewka Marie...

...And Ruby...

Liked roosting on our shoulders, eating grapes, and hanging out with Opal

...And Pearl

Liked running free in the yard, scratching in the garden bed that was supposed to be off-limits, and being close to a human at all times. "Her" crowing led to "her" having to go back to her original family due to a city ordinance against roosters!

...And Molly

Likes EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE WORLD, pouncing Cookie and Toffee, going out to potty at 2:45 a.m., and drinking water out of puddles. Is now living with another family in the area, in a big house with a pool and two other Golden Retrievers!